Glutamate Dehydrogenase (GLDH)

Glutamate Dehydrogenase (GLDH, GDH) is a mitochondrial enzyme that converts glutamate into α-ketoglutarate in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, which is a series of ATP-synthesis metabolic reactions. GLUD1 and GLUD2 encode two glutamate dehydrogenase isoenzymes. GLUD1 is a housekeeping gene widely expressed in human tissues, including liver, kidney, pancreatic β-cells, brain, heart, intestine, spleen, skin, lymph nodes, leukocytes, fibroblasts, and placenta. GLUD2 is predominantly expressed in retina, brain, and testicular tissue in humans. In testicular tissue, GDH2 is highly expressed in Sertoli cells and to some extent in Leydig cells, while spermatogonia and differentiated germ cells are negative for this protein. In cerebral cortex, the expression of GDH2 is restricted to astrocytes, with neurons showing only faint immunoreactivity. Human liver does not express endogenous GDH2^[1].